Military

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFMCNS) - Air Force Materiel Command will collectively lose 561 military, 1,018 civilian and 182 drill authorizations, not necessarily people, next fiscal year according to 2004 force structure and realignment information defense department officials released July 23.

Command officials said authorization cuts do not automatically translate into employee separations and they are using a wide variety of manpower tools to minimize impact on AFMC people.

Force structure information indicated that 377 military and 1,074 civilian authorizations will be reduced at AFMC bases and units, according to command officials. At non-AFMC units residing on bases belonging to the command, 184 military and 182 drill authorizations will be reduced but 62 civilian authorizations will be added. At AFMC units residing at other locations, military authorizations will decrease by two while civilian authorizations decrease by half a dozen.

Force structure information indicated that 375 military and 1,074 civilian authorizations will be reduced at AFMC bases and units, according to command officials. At non-AFMC units residing on bases belonging to the command, 184 military and 182 drill authorizations will be reduced but 62 civilian authorizations will be added. At AFMC units residing at other locations, military authorizations will remain the same while civilian authorizations decrease by half a dozen.

Each year Air Force officials provide a force structure announcement to Congress outlining the service's intent to realign, consolidate and enhance unit operations. This announcement addresses the president's budgeted force structure, realignment and management actions required to achieve efficiencies, modernize or make organizational changes, defense department officials said.

It specifies the force structure changes the total force experienced - active duty, Guard and Reserve. Before making any decisions concerning major force movements, Air Force officials said they'd fully comply with the spirit and requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act.

To the extent possible, employees impacted by reductions will be able to take full advantage of the wide array of personnel programs available, officials said. Some of these include career job reservation and retraining opportunities for military members and priority placement, voluntary early retirement authority and the voluntary separation incentive program for civilians.

Here is the base breakdown for AFMC's 10 major installations:

Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. - Arnold Engineering Development Center loses seven civilian authorizations.

Brooks City-Base, Texas - Establishing Brooks City-base resulted 42 military authorizations and 95 civilian authorizations being reduced. The 311^th Human Systems Wing loses six military and 10 civilians from medical annual planning and programming guidance adjustments and nine military and 19 civilian authorizations to workforce reshaping. The Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence loses three military and one civilian authorization as a result of workforce reshaping. Other minor actions result in a reduction of four military and 10 civilian authorizations.

Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. - The Air Force Flight Test Center loses 58 military and 125 civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. Operating location AK, Aeronautical Systems Center gains four military and eight civilian authorizations from the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and the Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. for special programs. Adjustments to the Joint Strike Fighter program result in an increase of one military and 11 civilian authorizations in the 412^th Test Wing. The 412^th Maintenance Group gains 25 military authorizations because of productivity programs. The 18^th Space Control Squadron inactivates and realigns part of its mission to Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., resulting in the loss of 28 military and four civilian authorizations. Other minor actions result in an increase of five military and one civilian authorization.

Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. - The Air Armament Center loses 67 military and 132 civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. The 28^th test squadron transfers one military position to the 53^rd Test and Evaluation Group at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. AAC gains 14 civilian authorizations to support foreign military sales and nine civilian authorizations for special programs. AAC also gains two military acquisition authorizations. Three military positions are converted to civilian in the 96^th Civil Engineering Group. The 96^th Mission Support Squadron gains one military and one civilian authorization for the organizational health center. Nine civilian authorizations were added to AAC for special programs. The 53^rd Wing loses 18 civilian authorizations and the 33^rd Fighter Wing loses one civilian authorization as a result of workforce reshaping. The 20^th Space Control Squadron loses seven civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. Other minor mission changes result in a gain of 13 military and loss of two civilian authorizations.

Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. - The Electronic Systems Center loses 55 military and 81 civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. The Air Force Research Laboratory loses eight civilian authorizations, with six realigning to Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., as a result of manpower restructuring and two reassigned to Sunspot, Ariz. The Electronic Systems Center converts 19 military authorizations to civilian and seven civilian authorizations are added to support the foreign military sales program. Other programmatic changes result in a gain of four military and one civilian authorization.

Hill Air Force Base, Utah - The 75^th Air Base Wing gains 42 military authorizations to provide base operating support to Air Combat Command units. The Ogden Air Logistics Center reduces 22 civilian authorizations in the foreign military sales program and loses 43 military and 122 civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. The 419^th Combat Logistic Support Squadron loses 26 drill authorizations to match wartime requirements. Other minor actions result in a decrease of six military and an increase of four civilian authorizations.

Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. - The 377^th Air Base Wing loses 18 military and 38 civilian authorizations and the AFMC Office of Aerospace Studies loses one military and two civilian authorizations to workforce reshaping. The 58^th Special Operations Wing gains 37 military positions to support increases in combat search and rescue and loses eight military and four civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. Detachment 12, Space and Missile Systems Center loses four civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. The Air Force Inspection Agency loses five military and one civilian authorization, the Air Force Safety Center loses two civilian authorizations, and the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center loses 68 military and 11 civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. Other minor actions result in a decrease of 13 military and an increase of 10 civilian authorizations.

Robins Air Force Base, Ga. - The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center loses 38 military and 175 civilian authorizations to workforce reshaping. The ALC loses 37 civilian authorizations to mission adjustments to foreign military sales and special programs. The 116^th Air Control Wing loses 136 military authorizations to the secretary of the Air Force directed blending an air national guard B-1 wing into the active duty E-8C wing. The wing also receives one E-8C aircraft. The 622^nd Combat Logistics Support Squadron loses 56 drill authorizations to match wartime requirements. The 19^th Air Refueling Wing gains 15 military authorizations for KC-135 crew ratio increase. The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center gains 34 civilian authorizations due to the Materiel Supply Division Tier 1. Other mission realignments result in a gain of seven military and five civilian authorizations.

Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. - The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center gains 34 civilian authorizations to support materiel supply workload and loses 25 military and 153 civilian authorizations to workforce reshaping. The 507^th Air Refueling Wing increases the crew ratio for authorized KC-135 aircraft, resulting in an increase of 11 civilian and three drill positions. Operating location AB, Standard Systems Group, Electronic Systems Center loses three civilian authorizations and the 38^th Engineering and Installation Group loses 12 civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. The 507^th Combat Logistics Support Squadron loses 42 drill authorizations to match wartime requirements. Other minor actions result in the decrease of two military and three civilian authorizations.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio - The Air Force Institute of Technology gains 15 military and 73 civilian positions for increases to the Air Force in-resident graduate education program and loses two military and four civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. The 338^th Recruiting Squadron loses one military and one civilian authorization as a result of workforce reshaping. The 74^th Medical Group decreases 16 military and two civilian authorizations from medical annual planning and programming guidance adjustments. The Air Force Research Lab increases eight military and 15 civilian authorizations as a result of mission transfers. The Air Force Petroleum Office gains 22 civilian authorizations from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The Aeronautical Systems Center loses 53 military and 214 civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. ASC also loses one military and gains 42 civilian authorizations to support the foreign military sales program. AFMC field operating agencies lose five military and 16 civilian authorizations and operating location C, 46^th Operations Group, loses 20 civilian authorizations as a result of workforce reshaping. Operating location WP, Detachment 3, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center loses one civilian authorization and the Air Force Research Lab loses one military and one civilian authorization as a result of workforce shaping. The 88^th Air Base Wing converts 13 military authorizations to civilian and the Aeronautical Systems Center converts 19 military authorizations to civilian as a result of workforce reshaping. Mission adjustments to classified programs will result in an increase of three military and 12 civilian authorizations. The 445^th Airlift Wing retires eight C-141 aircraft. The 445^th Combat Logistic Support Squadron loses 61 drill authorizations to match wartime requirements. Other minor actions result in an increase of two military and five civilian authorizations.